Dudley

Dudley's population increased by about 7,800 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 310,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Dudley increased by 2.6%, from about 305,000 to 313,000.

The addition of just under 7,800 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Dudley was home to, on average, 23 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the West Midlands

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the West Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Dudley

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Dudley increased by two years, from 39 to 41 years.

This area had a higher average age than the West Midlands and remained slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just under 6,900 people between the ages of 40 and 49 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 9,000.

About 15.0% of people in Dudley are aged between 40 and 49 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Dudley by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Dudley, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 7.8% to 10.2% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (28.2%) households had only one person, compared with 27.1% in 2001. The percentage of households in Dudley which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 41.7% to 35.7%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 7.9% in 2001 to 9.6% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.3% to 9.9%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Dudley increased by 2.4 percentage points

Percentage of households in Dudley, the West Midlands and England that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

Dudley saw the West Midlands' second-largest fall in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

In 2011, just under one in eight (11.9%) households in Dudley had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 12.5% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child remained close to 29.7%.

Across the region, only Wyre Forest saw a greater fall in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents (from 11.4% to 10.3%).

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Disability in Dudley

Dudley saw the West Midlands' third-largest rise in the proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

In 2011, just under 1 in 20 (4.7%) in Dudley reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 3.8% in 2001. The percentage who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 7.7% to 7.4%.

Across the region, only Cannock Chase (from 3.9% to 5.0%) and Wyre Forest (from 3.1% to 4.1%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

Every local authority area across the West Midlands saw a rise in the proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability, as the regional average grew from 3.5% to 4.2%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

Dudley saw the West Midlands' third-largest rise in the proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.0%) in Dudley reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 2.4% in 2001. The percentage that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.4% to 1.7%.

Across the region, only Cannock Chase (from 2.5% to 3.2%) and Wyre Forest (from 2.0% to 2.7%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care.

Every local authority area across the West Midlands saw a rise in the proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care, as the regional average grew from 2.3% to 2.7%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Dudley remained close to 3.0%

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Dudley by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Dudley

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Dudley was among those who said they had no religion, rising 11.9 points.

In 2011, 23.5% of respondents in Dudley gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 11.5% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the West Midlands, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 13.3% to 23.5%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Dudley, 69.6% said they were Christian, compared with 83.9% in 2001. About 1.3% said they were Sikh, compared with 1.0% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and did not state their religion decreased from 8.0% to 6.6%.

In Dudley, 6.2% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 7.4% in 2001. In West Midlands, 6.6% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population without a religion in Dudley increased by 11 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, West Midlands and Dudley by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer married people

The percentage of adults in Dudley that were married decreased from 55.7% to 50.3% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 3 in 10 (31.2%) people aged 16 and over said they were single, compared with 26.2% in 2001. The percentage of adults in Dudley that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 9.2% to 10.7%.

The proportion of married people fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 52.4% in 2001 to 47.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 50.6% to 46.6%.

The proportion of married people was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Dudley that rented privately increased from 4.1% to 9.2% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under one in five (19.8%) households lived in social housing, compared with 21.7% in 2001. The percentage of Dudley households that owned their home decreased from 71.0% to 68.8%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 7.3% in 2001 to 14.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 16.9%.

Private renting in Dudley increased by 5.2 percentage points

Percentage of households in Dudley, the West Midlands and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Dudley residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 10.0% to 6.5% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (78.2%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 65.8% in 2001. The percentage of Dudley residents that described their health as fair decreased from 24.2% to 15.3%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 9.7% in 2001 to 6.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Dudley decreased by 3.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Dudley, the West Midlands and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Dudley working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 11.6% to 8.6% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under 1 in 40 (2.5%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.4% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 12.5% in 2001 to 9.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13.0% to 10.1%.

Long hour working in Dudley decreased by 3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Dudley, the West Midlands and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Dudley

In 2011, 6.1% of Dudley residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from from 4.2% in 2001.

Across the West Midlands, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 7.6% to 10.8%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 90.0% of people in Dudley said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 93.7% in 2001. About 1.8% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 1.0% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 1.0% to 1.5%.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Dudley increased by 1.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Dudley by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Dudley residents that were unemployed increased from 3.9% to 5.3% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in two (53.2%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 54.8% in 2001. The percentage of Dudley residents that were self-employed increased from 6.5% to 7.5%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 3.8% in 2001 to 5.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Dudley increased by 1.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Dudley, the West Midlands and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

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Area report data

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